first sunday of advent - akron, oh

First Sunday of Advent

“O come, O come Emmanuel”

HOPE

“Know when the master of the house will come…What I say to you, I say to

all: Keep awake.” Mark 13:24-37

Church of Our Saviour

“Our Mission: to live out the gospel by transforming lives and neighborhoods in

partnership, with innovation, and with compassion.”

November 29, 2020

10:30 a.m.

The Rev. Debra Q. Bennett, Rector

Peter Wright, Choir Director

Michael McGroarty, Musician

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Church of Our Saviour Episcopal 471 Crosby Street

Akron, Ohio, 44302

330-535-9174

We invite you to experience God’s love and ours. We are a part of the worldwide Anglican

Communion. We are bound together by our common liturgy, not a rigid set of doctrines.

So how we sing and pray and relate to one another is very important to us. Wherever you

are on your journey, we have a place for you and invite you to make your place with us.

Come share our joys and sorrows as we share in yours. God is alive for everyone here

regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation or life history. Join singles, couples,

partners and families of every description that make up our community of faith. Rejoice

with us in our diversity.

Parish Prayer

Good and gracious God, we pray for all who have yet to know of your love and mercy.

May the Church of Our Saviour be so inspired by your Holy Spirit that it may serve as a

beacon of hope and a witness to the gospel for all people. Grant that we may continually

grow in our own knowledge and love of you as we strive to use all that we have and all that

we are to follow and imitate your beloved son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Welcome, Guests

If you are joining us online for the first time this morning, we hope you will consider

making Church of Our Saviour your church home during this period of suspended

in-person worship.

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Liturgy of the Word

First Sunday of Advent

♪♪ Prelude:

Ringing of the “Welcome” Bell

♪♪ Opening Hymn

Hymnal #68 Rejoice! Rejoice, believers Llangloffan

(Continued on next page)

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Liturgy of the Word

THE CANDLES OF ADVENT -

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT: HOPE

VOICE: Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the Sunday in which we recall the

hope we have in Christ.

Light the First Candle

We sing: O come, o come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!

 

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Opening Acclamation

Presider: Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen

Collect for Purity

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no

secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy

Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name;

through Christ our Lord.

Response: Amen

♪♪ Hymn of Praise Christ is coming: Prepare the way LEVAS II #6


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Presider: The Lord be with you

People: And also with you

Presider: Let us pray

The Collect of the Day

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the

armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ

came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in

his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life

immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,

now and for ever.

Response: Amen

First Reading Isaiah 64:1-9

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,

so that the mountains would quake at your presence--

as when fire kindles brushwood

and the fire causes water to boil--

to make your name known to your adversaries,

so that the nations might tremble at your presence!

When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,

you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.

From ages past no one has heard,

no ear has perceived,

no eye has seen any God besides you,

who works for those who wait for him.

You meet those who gladly do right,

those who remember you in your ways.

But you were angry, and we sinned;

because you hid yourself we transgressed.

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We have all become like one who is unclean,

and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.

We all fade like a leaf,

and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

There is no one who calls on your name,

or attempts to take hold of you;

for you have hidden your face from us,

and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father;

we are the clay, and you are our potter;

we are all the work of your hand.

Do not be exceedingly angry, O LORD,

and do not remember iniquity forever.

Now consider, we are all your people

Lector: The Word of the Lord

Response: Thanks be to God

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Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18

Qui regis Israel

1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *

shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *

stir up your strength and come to help us. Refrain

3 Restore us, O God of hosts; *

show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

4 O LORD God of hosts, *

how long will you be angered

despite the prayers of your people?

5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; *

you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

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6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *

and our enemies laugh us to scorn. Refrain

7 Restore us, O God of hosts; *


16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *

the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.

17 And so will we never turn away from you; *

give us life, that we may call upon your Name. Refrain

18 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; *


Second Reading 1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has

been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in

him, in speech and knowledge of every kind-- just as the testimony of Christ

has been strengthened among you-- so that you are not lacking in any spiritual

gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also

strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord

Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his

Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lector: The Word of the Lord


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♪♪ Sequence Hymn

Hymnal #73 The King shall come when morning dawns St. Stephen

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Holy Gospel – The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to Mark

People’s Response before the Gospel Proclamation: Glory to You, Lord Christ

Mark 13:24-37

Jesus said, “In those days, after that suffering,

the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will be falling from heaven,

and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and

glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four

winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and

puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see

these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I

tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken

place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor

the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when

the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home

and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the

doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know

when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at

cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly.

And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

People’s Response following the Gospel Proclamation: Praise to You,

Lord Christ

The Sermon The Rev. Debra Q. Bennett

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The Creeds are statements of our basic beliefs about God” (BCP p. 851).

We say these words as a gathered community to affirm our belief in God as creator,

redeemer, and sustainer of all creation, as the source of life and holiness. God has

blessed humanity with relationships and community which are part of God’s own

essence as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We do not say these words as some sort of

litmus test but as an invitation to wrestle with the mystery and complexity of God

with generations of Christians who have gone before us and with generations who

will come after us.

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven:

by the power of the Holy Spirit

he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,

and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

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and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son.

With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.

He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen

Prayers of the People

Intercessor: Central to every gathering of Christians for worship is intercessory

prayer. Our prayer is always for the church and the world.

Intercessor: In hope and anticipation, we pray for the church, those in need, and all

of God’s creation.

A brief silence

Intercessor: Gather all people into your house, O Lord, and open our eyes to your

presence among us. Send us as witnesses, that others may see and be drawn to you.

We pray for our Presiding Bishop Michael, our bishops Mark, William, and Arthur

and our priest Debra in their proclamation of the gospel. Hear us, O God,

People: For your mercy is great.

Intercessor: Unite our voices to the great song of praise sung by all creation

announcing your promised coming throughout all creation. Hear us, O God,


Intercessor: Transform our tools of war and destruction into instruments for

cultivation and growth. Plant peace in places of conflict around the world. We pray

especially for the President and his advisors, President-elect Biden, and members

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of all branches of the U.S. government and our state and local government. Hear

us, O God,


Intercessor: Be attentive to all who wait expectantly for your mercy in times of

crisis, illness, fear, and grief. We pray especially for (Christopher, David, Pam,

Susan, Christine, Joe, Chris, Derwood, Ruth, Judy, Glynn, Patricia, Patty, Tom,

Danny, Emily, Rob, Jeff, Mikey, Anthony, Norma, Clarence, Dan, Steve, Leslie,

Nancy R., Marilyn M., Bill, Marsha, Roger, William, Mitchell, Helen, Richard S.,

Bob, Kym, Kelly, Stephanie, Joslyn, Mia, Virginia, Michelle, Chris D., Randy and

Helen, Raymond, Katie, Robin, Fred, Susan S., Judy, Richard and Joyce

Metz, Shirley W., Sandy, Ramon, Jessica, Tim, Dianne, Kylie, Nakiim, The

Merton Family, Nancy, Hannah, Mary, Julie, Amy, David, Karly, Mid, Christina,

Jeff, Richard D., Tammy, David S., Michael D., Scott, Karen; Chuck, Mike, Ebony

& the First Energy crew; Aunt Abbie, Eve & Katie, the People of El Salvador, the

Penix family, Elvera, Rita, the victims of the hurricanes and wildfires, Donna C;

Shawn, Betty & the Brady Family; Seti, Jim, Joseph, Judy & Jonathan, Deidre, Dot,

Beth, Jim E., Officer Cooper, Stephanie and family, Larry; Kathi, Cindy & Nellie).

Answer when they cry out to you. Hear us, O God,


Intercessor: Bring comfort and grace to all those affected by the COVID-19

contagion, especially parents of children home from school, people dependent on

food pantries, the homeless, students & teachers, health care workers & first

responders, daycare workers and funeral directors. Hear us, O God,


Intercessor: We pray for our seminarians Megan and Jon and all seminarians as

they continue their discernment toward ordination. Hear us, O God,


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Intercessor: We pray for all those who are currently serving in the military, that

they will be safe and may know the peace that only you can give. Hear us, O God,


Intercessor: For gathering this congregation together again in your name and for

our witness to your kingdom through loving care for one another. Hear us, O God,


Intercessor says: (You may add other intercessions - silently or aloud), Hear us,

O God,


Intercessor: You have clothed the saints in the light of Christ. Teach us to live in

his ways until the great day when he comes to make all things new. We pray for all

the faithful departed; let light perpetual shine on them. Hear us, O God,


Presider: Into your hands, O God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in

your abundant mercy, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with

you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and for ever. People: Amen

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Confession of Sin

The Presider says

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Silence may be kept.

Minister and People

Most merciful God,

we confess that we have sinned against you

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done,

and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart;

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us and forgive us;

that we may delight in your will,

and walk in your ways,

to the glory of your Name. Amen

The Absolution

The priest says

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus

Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep

you in eternal life. Amen

The Peace “The Peace of Christ be always with you”

Response: “And also with you”

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Commemorative Prayers

The priest offers prayers for birthdays, anniversaries, and other significant events

Announcements

The Lord’s Prayer

People and Presider

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy Name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those

who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

Seasonal Blessing of Advent

May the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you and scatter the darkness from before

your path; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy

Spirit be among you, and remain with you always.

Response: Amen

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♪♪Closing Hymn

LEVAS II #14 Soon and very soon Andrae Crouch


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Dismissal


♪♪Postlude

Today’s Lectors: Jennifer B. & Chris M.

Birthdays This Week

December 2—Beth Britton, December 4—Jeannine Jones

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

http://vonpappe2.blogspot.com/2015/04/happy-birthday-trudie.html

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

first sunday of advent - akron, oh

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